Memories That Lead to Family
by nine-orcids
Summary: Minato's getting married to Uzumaki Ai, the twin sister of his best friend Kushina. At the wedding, a secret is revealed and things begin to unravel. In the end, will love have a chance? ONESHOT


_I don't own Naruto…T-T_

Kushina walked down the aisle surrounded on all sides by people. Her silky ping kimono clashed magnificently with her bright red hair, which was piled on her head, and matched the flowers she carried with perfection. She could feel all their eyes on her as she looked straight ahead, trying to fight the blush that was struggling to appear on her cheeks. It front of her was Minato, her best friend and the love of her life. He was watching her proceed forward in joy, anticipation, and slight shock. Beside him stood a short fat man dressed in white and red It was a wedding…but now her own. She was the maid of honor for the wedding of Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage of Konoha, and Uzumaki Ai, her twin sister.

She got to the altar, took her place, and looked down the aisle she'd just come up. The music had changed to the wedding march. It was time for the bride to make her appearance. Ai began walking forward on the arm of their father, her stunning looks dimming everything in comparison and the pink actually went well with her honey colored hair. She wore a western style gown that's skirt flared out around her like flower petals. It's sweetheart neckline was modestly cut and showed off the heavy pink diamond necklace she wore around her neck. A tiara held a veil in front of her face and let it fall gracefully down her back. Her hair was piled on top of her head in an elegant knot. Her violet eyes, the only feature they shared, were sparkling. A large bouquet of pink and white roses and baby's breath was held in the hand not wrapped in their father's. Everyone's eyes were on her. The redhead was already forgotten.

When she reached the altar, the short man began the ceremony that would bind them in marriage for the rest of their lives.

"We are gathered here today, to join this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. They've chosen to join in love and cherish each other for the rest of their time on earth. If anyone has any reason why they shouldn't marry, please speak now or forever hold your peace."

There was silence in the meadow. She looked around, but no one made any motion. If she wanted to stop this, it had to be now. But she stayed still.

She loved Minato yes, and she was pretty sure he was the love of her life… She knew for a fact he was the father of the child she carried, even if he didn't even know she was pregnant. He wasn't even aware that they'd been together. He'd been drunk at the time and had left right after. But she knew he didn't love her… that he loved her sister as a lover and her only as a friend. It was the way it'd been ever since they were young.

**Flashbacks**

"_Hey Kushina!" the redheaded child heard her best friend yell after her as she walked home from the academy. She turned to see the blonde hurrying toward her, his bag slung over his shoulder and a lopsided grin on his face. _

"_Why do you want Minato?" she asked angrily, still slightly mad at him for forgetting her birthday. He stopped next to her and reached into his bag. He blushed slightly and brought out a small wrapped present. She felt a smile start to spread across her face. He hadn't forgotten after all!_

"_Um… I was wondering if you could give this to your sister. I know it's her birthday today…" he said, bushing even harder. Her smiled disappeared in an instant to be replaced by an angry scowl. "YOU JERK!" she yelled, punching him in the face. "You ask me to deliver a present to my sister when you've forgotten it's my birthday to? You stupid jerk, what kinda friend are you?" _

_She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she glared down at his shocked face. He was holding his bloody nose and starring up at her. She turned and ran, suddenly ashamed to have him see her crying._

**Time Skip: 3 Months Later**

"_Kushina, wait up!" she heard someone yell behind her. She turned to see Minato. She hadn't talked to him that much since the birthday incident, 3 months before. It turned out she had broken his nose. He hadn't been to keen on talking to her after than and she was still mad at him for forgetting. _

"_What Minato?" she asked warily. She had had a bad day so far and talking to him would probably make it worse. He caught up to her and blushed slightly. She was suddenly hit by the thought that he was kind of cute, then she snapped at herself. This was her former best friend she was thinking about! Why would she think he was cute?_

"_Um, I was kind of wondering if you knew if you're sister was seeing anyone right now," the eleven year old said shyly, turning away to avoid her expression. For a moment, she thought she felt slightly jealous. "No, she's not seeing anyone right now. Why do you ask?" "No reason," he answered quickly, a small smile on his face. _

"_Thanks 'Shina!" he said quickly, "See ya!" then he took off running, waving over his shoulder._

**Time Skip: Christmas-Two Years Later**

_A thirteen year old Kushina looked around the room of her fellow gennin. Yamanaka Inoichi was throwing a Christmas Party and had invited all of their graduating class, plus some of the civilian kids their age like her sister. The party had been going for a couple of hours now and she still hadn't found Minato. They'd been put on different Gennin Teams after graduation and she didn't get to see him that often any more. He'd been put on the team of Jiraiya of the Sannin, while she'd gotten Hatake Sakumo as a sensei. The man was nice, but he was strict about fallowing the rules and was wary of her. He was one of the few that knew of Kyuubi._

_She decided to check some of the other rooms in the house to see if she could find her blonde friend. They forgiven each other for the birthday incident and become friends again. Now she missed him after not seeing him in 2 months._

_After checking just about every room in the house and returning to the one she'd started in, she was ready to admit he wasn't there. She was turning to leave, but caught sight of a familiar spiky blonde head in the corner. She felt her heart speed up and she made her way toward him through the crowd, but stopped when she caught sight of him. He was standing in a corner and not alone. He and Ai were in a corner kissing, a mistletoe hanging over their heads. _

_Her vision of them blurred slightly and she turned and ran. She didn't look back, even when she thought she heard someone call her name. She might have been mistaken, after all the music was very loud._

**Time Skip: 2 Years Later**

_He looked at her in horror. How could he not, seeing his best friend covered in blood and surrounded in the fox's chakra cloak. Her long read hair was drifting around her head, as if on a breeze, surrounded in the orange chakra. It mixed with the two tails behind her. _

"_Ku…Kushina?" he asked hesitantly, as if unsure as to if it was truly she. She looked _

_away from him, suddenly ashamed for him to see her like this. After all, now he knew the truth about her. That she contained the most powerful of demons, the Kyuubi. He would probably never want to speak to her again or want her to be near him. That thought was hard for her to bear. She'd finally realized she had a crush on the now Chunnin boy she called her best friend._

_The fifteen year old looked at her and seemed to be trying to comprehend what he was seeing. He opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by someone else. "Kushina, you need to get a hold of yourself. The seal isn't designed for you to use so much of the Kyuubi's chakra. It could unravel, so rein it in some." Her sensei, Sakumo, had shown up and as usual was looking after her. For this, she was grateful._

_She concentrated on calming herself and felt the chakra cloak withdraw. When it was gone fully, she could tell. The effects of the battle hit her instantly and she felt herself falling into unconsciousness._

_When she awoke later in the hospital, Minato was looming over her. "What are you doing?" "Making sure you're ok. What was that out there?" he asked. She sighed. She really didn't want to explain this right now. "Aren't you…aren't you scared of me?" she asked, a little shocked that he hadn't run away in fear yet. "No. I'm worried yeah, but not scared." She smiled at him, suddenly feeling closer to him than she'd ever been before. _

_She began explaining about the seal and Kyuubi. When she was half way through, her parents and Ai came in and demanded to know what happen. Neither of the ninja said anything. Kushina noticed immediately that Minato was watching Ai again. So much for closeness. The memory from the Christmas Party two years before came back to her and she turned away. She couldn't handle this right now. _

_A doctor had come in and her parents were occupied with her and Ai was being talked to by Minato. No one was watching her, so she slipped out the open window and headed toward the training ground. No one noticed she was gone._

**Time Skip: Two Weeks Later**

_The redhead looked in shock at the scene before her. Her sister and her best friend her on a date. Neither had said a word to her about it. True, she had been avoiding both of them the last couple of weeks, but still… why had they not told her?_

_She felt the jealousy she hadn't felt since she was younger roar up and try to consume her. _

**Time Skip: Four Years Later**

**After the War**

"_MINATO! You're only a bachelor once, so live it up!" Jiraiya said, pointing at the blonde Jonnin. It was obvious he was drunk. "You're suppose to be celebrating your last few months as a free man before you get shackled, and what are you doing? Sitting at a bar drinking water. What kinda man are you? I mean, even Kushina's drinking!" Both men looked over at her and the 3 bottles of Sake in front of her. She didn't know why she was even trying, she couldn't get drunk no matter how much she drank. Kyuubi's influence burned up the alcohol before it had time to do any damage._

"_Sensei, I just don't think it's a good idea. Don't you remember the last time you made me do this?" The pervy sannin didn't remember what happen and neither did he. The only way he knew was from Kushina telling him in between fits of laughter. The last time Jiraiya had taken them drinking, he and Minato had gotten so drunk they thought it would be appropriate to have a contest to see who could get more girl's numbers. Both of them had started off with girls, but by the end of the night Jiraiya was passed out on the floor and Minato had gone home with a guy. It'd been the funniest think she'd ever seen._

"_Minato, quit being a baby and drink something would ya?" Kushina yelled at him, tired of hearing Jiraiya yelling that he was only a free man for so much longer. As if she needed reminding. In the last few years, her crush from childhood had developed into full blown love and Minato and Ai had started dating. Now they were engaged._

_After awhile, the blonde Jonnin finally started drinking to shut them up. He'd never had a very high alcohol tolerance, so even the little he drank was enough to effect him. It made him drink more until he was so drunk, he didn't remember his own name. The two drunk men sat down for a second, seemed to say something to each other, then got up and headed in opposite directions. They'd decided to start up the bet of last time and see who could set more girl's numbers. She watched them as they rounded the bar room._

_While watching Jiraiya try and get a number out of a particularly hairy man, she felt someone grab her arm. She looked up to see the glazed blue eyes of Minato._

"_What is it?" she asked him, not expecting an answer. He pulled upward on her arm and motioned for her to follow him. She sighed, cast a last glance at Jiraiya, and followed him. He lead her to her apartment, which was close to the bar, and waited for her to unlock the door._

"_Alright Minato, what is it you want?" she asked him once inside. He said nothing, just kissed her. It wasn't a quick kiss on the cheek, like you'd give a friend or sister, but a full-blown-on-the-mouth-with-tongue ordeal. She could taste the alcohol on his breath and pushed him away. "Minato, you're drunk. You need to stop before you do something you're regret." He stared at her, his eyes begging her. She saw longing in them that she knew was mirrored in her own. So she gave in._

_He kissed her again, this time harder. She returned it this time, enjoying the feeling of her lips against his. The next thing she knew, she was pushing her body close to his and he was pushing both of them against the door.. She tugged at her clothes, as well as his own, they interfered with his drunken wandering hands. She felt his inexperienced fingers moving against her collarbone and his lips following the same path. She threw her head back in a moan. They fell toward the bed and she relived her dreams._

_The next morning, she awoke to him gone. The only signs that he'd been there in the first place was the wreckage they'd caused on route to the bed. She felt a smile spread across her face. Last night, she'd been with the man she loved. It hadn't been her first time, but she knew it would stay with her for the rest of her life. She could remember his strong arms holding her to him and she, pressed against his firm chest…_

_It was then that the realization started slowly taking hold of her again and its enormity was overwhelming. She had slept with Minato, her best friend, and he was engaged to her sister._

_When walking toward the Hokage's office to get a new mission, she heard her name being called. She turned to see the very person who was filling her thoughts. She felt a slight blush cross her cheeks when she saw him. When he got to her, he seemed just as flustered as she was. "What is it?" she asked, trying to not look at him while at the same time trying to look like she wasn't not trying to look at him._

_He rubbed the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. "I'm kinda embarrass to ask this and I'm kinda scared at the answer, but what happen last night? I can't remember a thing!" She felt her heart momentarily stop. He didn't remember? That they'd been together? "Nothing?" she heard herself ask. He shook his head. He didn't remember. Probably didn't even want to remember. Well, she wasn't one to remind people of stuff they wanted to forget._

"_Well, you two decided to reenact the last time you went drinking. Same task, different results. This time, you passed out somewhere and Jiraiya picked up a guy… a rather hairy guy. It was quiet funny actually," she informed him. He gaped at her in horror, "Are you sure?" he asked. When she nodded, he sighed. "Then what was Ai talking about?" she heard him mutter. He saw she was confused so started to explain. "I got home in the middle of the night and Ai said I smelled like another woman. I was hoping you knew what that was about." She quickly shook her head and excused herself. They didn't speak of it again._

**Time Skip: 2 Months Later**

_She stared in shock at the small test in her hands. This couldn't be happening…it couldn't be true. The small pink plus was the only confirmation she needed. She was pregnant._

_She'd been feeling awful for a few weeks, but hadn't had time to go to the doctor. Somehow, she'd gotten a hold of the test she now held and had taken it. She wished she hadn't. She was a ninja. How was she suppose to raise a kid, and by herself? She'd have to retire and find a job in the village. And the father of the kid…_

_It was then that she realized one of her many problems. The kid's father… could only be Minato. He was the only one she'd been with in the last 6 months. He was getting married in a month to her sister. How was she suppose to tell him she was carrying his kid? Especially when he didn't even know they'd bee together? Another thing. What was she going to do about Kyuubi? A Jinchūriki's seal was weakest when the Jinchūriki was giving birth. There was a chance he would slip out._

_The simplest answer was to get rid of the baby. But when she thought about it, she found she couldn't. She wanted her kid, even if she'd never wanted kids before, she wanted this one. Not just because of who it's father was._

**Flashbacks Ended**

She sighed again and looked out over the crowd. From her vantage point, she could see that two people were getting ready to get up and say something. The only two people that knew the full truth of her child. Jiraiya and Tsunade. And it was her fault that they knew when she hadn't wanted anyone to know.

She'd gone to the hospital for a checkup before her mission. Tsunade had found out. The two were friends, Tsunade had taken over her gennin team after Sakumo had killed himself, and she was worried about her. So she'd told the blonde medic what happen… and she told Jiraiya. The two had cornered her and demanded she tell Minato. She refused. They claimed he couldn't marry Ai now. But she also refused them that. She wouldn't let them tell him. But they'd found a way.

Before she could say or do anything to stop them, they rose in union and Jiraiya spoke, "We have reason."

Everyone's gaze swung to them, the bride and groom included. Kushina tried to signal for them to sit down, but they ignored her. "Sensei, Tsunade-chan…what's going on? Why are you trying to stop Ai-chan and my wedding?"

Tsunade spoke for the first time. "Because Minato," she began, "There's something you don't know. Something you really need to know before you marry someone else."

"What?"

Jiraiya opened his mouth to tell him, but she finally found her voice.

"Jiraiya, stop! I told you not to tell him!" she yelled, stalking over to them. Everyone's gaze switched to her, but she didn't care. "I don't want him to know, so just drop it OK?"

"Kushina, what's this all about?" Minato asked, curiosity in his voice. It wasn't she who answer, but Tsunade.

"She's pregnant. With your kid."

Everyone was silent. He turned to look at her, his shock and confusion written plainly on his face. "How…" he began, then fell silent. Realization swept across his face. "That night…" he muttered, trailing off. He looked back at her and opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted.

"WHAT! KUSHINA'S PREGNANT WITH MY FIANCE'S CHILD?" she heard someone yell behind them. Ai had heard what they were talking about. The guests, who didn't know what was going on until now, quickly began talking about this new development among themselves.

The redhead rounded on the two Sannin. "I told you I didn't want him to know! You had no right!" she hissed at them, ignoring the whispering that was going on around them. Minato was starring at her, a confused look on his face. "You didn't want me to know? You mean you weren't going to tell me you were carrying my kid?" he asked. "No," was his answer. She didn't look at him, instead choosing to glare at the two Sannin.

"KUSHINA, YOU'RE RUINING MY WEDDING!" they heard Ai yell from the altar. They turned to look at her and she was glaring at the redhead. She'd let her bouquet fall and her face wasn't as beautiful do to the murderous expression now exhibited on it. She marched toward the redhead and slapped her as hard as she could, which turned out not to be that bad. To the battle hard ninja who was trained to ignore pain, it felt like a pinprick. To the civilian, it felt like she'd broken her hand.

She let out a cry of pain and started wailing. The girls father rushed to her side and took her hand in his own. He began trying to quiet her, while at the same time trying to glare at Kushina. When the honey colored hair woman was quiet, although still whimpering, he said, "Uzumaki Kushina, how in the world can you live with yourself? Doing this to your poor sister, who has been nothing but kind to you your whole life…You're ruining her wedding day with your jealous ways. You could never be as good as her at anything, so you just had to steal the one thing that made her happy didn't you? I'm ashamed of you young lady."

She stared at him in surprise. How was this her fault?

"Don't think we're going to take it either. Either you're going to get rid of it, which you will, or you're no longer part of our family. We won't support you anymore and you'll be on your own! Do I make myself clear you little slut?"

She had to admit, that one hurt. Although, how did he get off calling her names when she didn't do anything? She'd have to figure that out later, but back to the matter at hand…

" 'Support me'? You don't support me father. I haven't lived under your roof since I was 15 years old and the war started. I make my own money, pay my own bills, buy my own food and so on. The only thing you've done for me is insult me and pay for my wedding clothes. And I'm an adult. You can't make my choices for me. I choose whether I keep my own child or not, not you 'ya stupid old man!" she yelled right back, before turning and running back up the aisle. She could feel everyone's eyes on her, but she didn't care. She just ran quicker. She didn't want them to see the tears that were starting to fall.

**Minato's POV**

He watched her run away and felt his heart clench. He'd known something had happen between them that night, the night of the bachelor party he couldn't remember, that she wasn't telling him…but this? He hadn't expected this. That he'd gotten her pregnant… that they'd been together in the first place. He'd been to drunk to even remember his own name, let alone know what he was doing.

Now she was carrying his kid and he was suppose to be marrying her sister today…right now. Jiraiya and Tsunade looked at him and he could feel the whole audiences eyes on him.

"Um…shall I continue?" the officiator asked uncertainly. "Yes," Ai said, her voice angry and commanding. It left little room for questions.

"Alright," he said uncertainly. "Do you, Ai, take Minato to be your lawfully wedded husband? In sickness and in health, in times of uncertainty and in times of love. In times of sorrow and in happiness, in times of poorness and in times of wealth. To have and to hold so long as you both shall live?"

"I do," she said without hesitation, her expression changing to one of excitement again and the earlier interruption temporarily forgotten.

"Do you, Minato, take Ai to be your lawfully wedded wife? In sickness and in health, in times of uncertainty and in times of love. In times of sorrow and in happiness, in times of poorness and in times of wealth. To have and to hold so long as you both shall live?"

It was his time to answer, but he stayed silent. The crowd had it's eyes on him, ready for him to just say yes so the wedding would end and they could go on to the reception. He opened his mouth to say yes, but something stopped the words from crossing his lips. Did he really want to marry Ai? Or was it another Uzumaki that held his heart? He let himself think back…remember the past and his red haired friend…

**Flashbacks **

"_Hey Kushina!" the redheaded child heard her best friend yell after her as she walked home from the academy. She turned to see the blonde hurrying toward her, his bag slung over his shoulder and a lopsided grin on his face. _

"_Why do you want Minato?" she asked, a hint of anger in her voice. What was her problem now? He stopped next to her and reached into his bag. He blushed slightly and brought out a small wrapped present. He looked for weeks to find something he was sure she'd like. He saw a smile start to form on her face. _

"_Um… I was wondering if you could give this to your sister. I know it's her birthday today…" he said, bushing even harder. Her smiled disappeared in an instant to be replaced by an angry scowl. "YOU JERK!" she yelled, punching him in the face. "You ask me to deliver a present to my sister when you've forgotten it's my birthday to? You stupid jerk, what kinda friend are you?" _

_Tears started to form in her eyes as she glared down at his shocked face. He was holding his bloody nose and starring up at her. She turned and ran. It was her birthday to? He'd just heard her sister complaining how no one ever remembered her birthday a couple of days ago. He hadn't known it was 'Shina's birthday to! If he had, he'd have gotten her something to…_

_He got up then and headed toward the Hospital. Knowing 'Shina, she'd broken his nose._

**Time Skip: 3 Months Later**

"_Kushina, wait up!" he yelled after the redhead. She turned back to look at him. She hadn't talked to him that much since the birthday incident, 3 months before. It turned out she had in fact broken his nose, so he'd been right there. He hadn't been to keen on talking to her after than and she still seemed mad at him for forgetting. _

"_What Minato?" she asked warily. He caught up to her and blushed slightly. 'Man she's cute when she's like this,' was all his eleven year old mind could think. Then he remembered what he'd wanted to ask her. _

"_Um, I was kind of wondering if you knew if you're sister was seeing anyone right now," the eleven year old said shyly, turning away to avoid her expression. Uchiha Fugaku wanted to know and he'd told him he'd ask for him. "No, she's not seeing anyone right now. Why do you ask?" "No reason," he answered quickly, a small smile on his face. Good, now Fugaku owed him a spar. _

"_Thanks 'Shina!" he said quickly, "See ya!" then he took off running, waving over his shoulder._

**Time Skip: Christmas-Two Years Later**

_Minato looked around the room of partying gennin and sighed. Why had he even come again? Yamanaka Inoichi was throwing a Christmas Party and had invited all of their graduating class, plus some of the civilian kids their age. The party had been going for a couple of hours now and he still hadn't seen Kushina. They'd been put on different Gennin Teams after graduation and he didn't get to see her that often any more. He'd been put on the team of Jiraiya of the Sannin, while she'd gotten Hatake Sakumo as a sensei. Jiraiya was fun and a great sensei, but it would be better it he didn't keep stop training so he could go peeping. Stupid perv…_

_He wondered were she was. They forgiven each other for the birthday incident and become friends again. Now he hadn't seen her in 2 months._

_He sighed again. Maybe he should just leave. He started to go, but he heard someone call his name. He looked toward the sound and saw Uzumaki Ai heading toward him. She was here? He'd never really talked to Kushina's twin, so he didn't know her that well. When she reached him, she pointed above his head. "Minato, do you realize where you're standing?" He looked up to see a mistletoe above his head. He sighed again. Great. Now he had to kiss her or he'd get bad luck. He leaned down and started to kiss her cheek, but she moved her head and he landed on her lips. His eyes widened and he started to pull away, but she wrapped her arms around his head which trapped him there._

_Behind him, he heard a faint gasp over the music. He wrenched away from Ai to see his redheaded friend running away. "Kushina!" he called after her, but she kept running. 'She must not have heard me…' he thought as he watched her retreating form._

**Time Skip: 3 Months Later**

_Cold, blue eyes stared out of the darkness, filled with absolute loathing at the filth walking beside his best friend. He watched around the corner of the building as his best friend and Hyuuga Hiashi as they walked around the festival. Why couldn't she tell he felt something for her?_

_He just wished he could tell her that he was here, that he wanted her-that he loved her. Every time he saw her with another man he wanted to tear out his heart to stop the wrenching pain it always caused. He wanted to let her know she wasn't alone, that he was here. He wanted her to stop doing this to herself…that she didn't have to keep looking._

**Time Skip: 2 Years Later**

_He looked at her in horror. How could he not, seeing his best friend covered in blood and surrounded in a bunch of strange red chakra. How was it visible anyway? Her long read hair was drifting around her head, as if on a breeze, surrounded in the orange chakra. It mixed with the two tails behind her. _

"_Ku…Kushina?" he asked hesitantly, as if unsure as to if it was truly she. She looked _

_away from him, to were he couldn't see the expression on her face. But he'd already seen her normally violet eyes changed. they were now reddish orange and slitted. What was going on? What was this power? He was worried about his best friend and long time crush._

_He opened his mouth to ask something, but he was interrupted by someone else. "Kushina, you need to get a hold of yourself. The seal isn't designed for you to use so much of the Kyuubi's chakra. It could unravel, so rein it in some." Her sensei, Sakumo, had shown up and was looking after her. _

_She closed her eyes and seemed to concentrated on calming herself. The chakra cloak began to withdraw. When it was gone fully, she pitched forward into unconsciousness. Her body went limp and she began to fall toward the ground. He hurried forward and caught her before she could hit her head. Looking at Sakumo for orders, the man told him to take her to the hospital._

_When she awoke later in the hospital, Minato was looming over her. "What are you doing?" "Making sure you're ok. What was that out there?" he asked. She sighed. "Aren't you…aren't you scared of me?" she asked, shock and confusion easily heard in her voice. "No. I'm worried yeah, but not scared." She smiled at him, and he was struck by just how cute she was. _

_She began explaining about the seal and Kyuubi. When she was half way through, her parents and Ai came in and demanded to know what happen. Neither of the ninja said anything. His glance caught onto Ai's and he thought back to earlier, when he'd seen her kissing someone in an ally. She was suppose to be dating Fugaku! The memory from the Christmas Party two years before came back to him and he tried to ignore a shudder. Fugaku was going to freak when he told him._

_When a doctor came in and their parents were occupied with her, Ai walked toward him and started talking. She seemed to be trying to flirt. "Minato-kun, you and I need to have a little chat. You saw me doing something earlier that I really don't want Fugaku-kun to hear about. So will you do me a little favor and not tell him? I'll make it worth your silence!" "No, he's my friend. I'm telling him Ai!" _

_Somewhere in the middle of all this, Kushina slipped out the window. Dang it… he'd wanted to find out more about her seal…_

**Time Skip: Two Weeks Later**

_Minato sat in the barbeque place, waiting for his order. Training had finally ended for the day. His had last longer than his teammates. Finding out about Kushina's seal had gotten him interested in Fuuinjutsu, so he'd started trying to learn it. Although he hadn't really understood what the books were talking about. They where really vague. So he'd ask Jiraiya-sensei for help. The man may be a big pervert, but he knew what he was talking about. He'd agreed to help the blonde and started teaching him right away. The way he explained it, it actually made since. In just two weeks, he'd made amazing progress. He already understood the basics and could make some of the more complicated storage seals. He'd even modified a few to work easier! According to Jiraiya, he was a natural with them._

"_Well hello Minato-kun!" he heard a familiar voice say. He looked up from his Fuuinjutsu book and saw Ai. She'd been stalking him ever since he'd told Fugaku about what he seen in the ally and he'd broken up with her. _

"_What do you want Ai?" he asked with a sigh. He really didn't want to deal with her right now. "What, can't I say hello to a friend?" she asked, her voice perfectly innocent. He sighed again. His food came then, and she helped herself. Before he could tell her to get lost, she asked about his book. He immediately perked up and started telling her about it. No one had asked about his new favorite subject and the only person he'd been able to talk to about it was Jiraiya. Neither of them noticed the redhead staring at them open mouthed, then run away._

**Time Skip: On the Battlefield- 1 ½ Years Later**

_He fingered the tri-pointed kunai he held in his hand. Was this really the time to try out his new jutsu? He was on the middle of a battlefield and Kushina was in trouble. If he didn't do something, she would die. 'I guess it's now or never,' he thought and threw the kunai. He felt a slight jerk in the direction it flew, and his senses quit working for a moment. The next thing he knew, he was beside the open mouthed Iwa ninja who held the red head. Without thinking, he plunged the kunai that had reappeared in his hand into the stunned ninja's neck._

_She looked at him open mouthed. She looked back at the spot he'd occupied a few seconds previous and pointed to it, then him, then back proudly. "You were there, and then there…how? And that flash of yellow?" He grinned evilly. "It's a new technique I just finished working on. It allows me to instantly teleport from one marker to the other. The marker's on the kunai. I call it the 'Hiraishin'. Nice huh?" _

_She nodded and sighed. "Yeah Minato, real nice. Now lets go before more enemy troops show up. We need to get this scroll back to Hokage-jiji." He ignored the disrespect of their Hokage and nodded. _

_By the time they got back to Konoha, they'd had to endure many more attacks. The stories of his new technique were already being whispered with fear. They'd already given him a nickname, the __**Yellow Flash of Konoha**__. He smiled when he first heard it. It was a reminder to him. Of the first time he'd saved his best friend and out love. But he had a new love now. His girlfriend Ai…_

**Time Skip: Bar-2 ½ Years Later**

_He sighed as his sensei tried yet again to get him to drink. Why did he ever agree to this? He'd just embarrass himself, and that wasn't something he wanted people to remember when they announced him Hokage next week. It was one of the reasons they were there, along with his bachelor party. Even though the wedding wasn't for another 3 months, they were just to busy to have it any other time and Jiraiya had insisted he have one. He'd only agreed to get his old mentor to shut up. It was also an excuse to hand out with Kushina. She came along everytime the two went drinking as damage control. Since she couldn't get drunk, she could stay and remember what they did while intoxicated…that and stop them if things went to far._

_He couldn't remember what had happen the last time they'd gone drinking and he was glad he didn't. Kushina had filled him in in between bouts of laughter. Apparently, the last time Jiraiya had taken them drinking, he and Minato had gotten so drunk they thought it would be appropriate to have a contest to see who could get more girl's numbers. Both of them had started off with girls, but by the end of the night Jiraiya was passed out on the floor and Minato had tried to go home with a guy. Apparently, it'd been the funniest think she'd ever seen._

"_MINATO! You're only a bachelor once, so live it up!" Jiraiya said, pointing at the blonde Jonnin. It was obvious he was drunk. "You're suppose to be celebrating your last few months as a free man before you get shackled, and what are you doing? Sitting at a bar drinking water. What kinda man are you? I mean, even Kushina's drinking!" Both men looked over at her and her 3 bottles of Sake. _

"_Sensei, I just don't think it's a good idea. Don't you remember the last time you made me do this?" The pervy sannin didn't, but he'd been told. "Minato, quit being a baby and drink something would ya?" Kushina yelled at him. He sighed and reached for the Sake Jiraiya offered. The Sannin cheered and downed another shot of his own. _

_Soon there were many bottles in front of them and he knew no more._

**Time Skip: Next Morning**

_He awoke with a pounding headache and a blank memory of the night before. He didn't remember what happen and he was pretty sure he didn't want to know. The only thing he could remember were quick flashes of someone red-haired moaning his name. He really hoped he hadn't done something he would live to regret. There was only one person he could ask to find out._

"_Minato, what did you do last night?" he heard his fiancé ask. "I honestly don't remember," he informed her, "Why?" "Because you came in smelling like cheap perfume. I'm wondering why, that's all."_

_He found her in the Hokage's building. "What is it?" she asked, not looking at him, after he caught up with her._

_He rubbed the back of his head and grinned sheepishly. "I'm kinda embarrass to ask this and I'm kinda scared at the answer, but what happen last night? I can't remember a thing!" "Nothing?" she asked. He shook his head, deciding to omit the fact that he remembered a red-head underneath him._

"_Well, you two decided to reenact the last time you went drinking. Same task, different results. This time, you passed out somewhere and Jiraiya picked up a guy… a rather hairy guy. It was quite funny actually," she informed him. He gaped at her in horror, "Are you sure?" he asked. When she nodded, he sighed. "Then what was Ai talking about?" he muttered. He saw she was confused, so started to explain. "I got home in the middle of the night and Ai said I smelled like another woman. I was hoping you knew what that was about." She quickly shook her head and excused herself. They didn't speak of it again._

**End Flashbacks**

So that had been Kushina he'd been with … he had mulled over those memories many times in the last three months, wondering who it had been. Now he knew. Now that he remembered, he saw something… a pattern that had gone on through out their childhood. His real feelings…

"Minato-sama?" he heard the short man ask. He looked over at her, the woman he was about to be bonded to for the rest of his life, and found he saw her different. Before, he watched her with fascination and wonder that a girl like her would ever be with him. Now, in the course of a few minutes and memories…he no longer loved her like he thought he did…

"Minato-kun?" Her…

"No," he heard himself breath so faint, no one heard him. "Excuse me sir?" "No," he said again, louder this time. "I won't take this woman as my wife."

His declaration surprised everyone in the room. He found himself smiling and turning away. Walking back down the aisle. Halfway down, he felt someone grab his arm. He turned to see the Uzumaki girl's father, Uzumaki Sataru. "Minato, what do you think you're doing? You march right back up there and marry my girl. Do you hear me?" he said it in a commanding voice, as if he expected his will to be carried out. The blonde suddenly wondered why he ever respected the man. He'd never liked Kushina, always favoring Ai, who was a spoiled brat.

He jerked his arm away from him, turned, and walked out. He heard Ai screaming his name from the altar, yelling for him to come back. But he ignored her. He had someone else to find.

**Kushina's POV**

She'd finally been able to get her hair out of that ridiculous knot and all the make up off. She was back in her normal comfortable sweat pants and oversize t-shirt, and was quiet happy of that fact.

She had decided to go tomorrow and be put on maternity leave. Tsunade had told her that going on mission after three months would cause to much stress for the baby. She was a few days past three months and knew it was time. She sighed. She didn't know what she was going to do with herself the next couple of months, not going on missions. Maybe she should take up a hobby… She already knew she'd have to get a new apartment. Her current one was two little for two people. She also needed to get everything she'd need for raising the kid, such as a crib and a changing table.

As she was starting to think about it, she heard a knock on the door. She sighed again. She'd just gotten comfortable. Getting up, she walked over to the door and glanced through the peep hole. She nearly gasped when she saw who it was. What was he doing here?

She quickly opened the door to make sure she wasn't seeing things. "Minato?" she asked, shock and disbelief in her voice. "Kushina," he responded. She stepped out of the way and let him through. He came in and started pacing in her living room. He was no longer dressed in his wedding clothes, but in his Hokage uniform. The standard Konoha-nin uniform and a flak jacket with two bands each on both of his sleeves, he also wore a short-sleeve long white coat with red flame edges and the kanji "Fourth Hokage" written vertically down on the back. His hitai-ate around his head, keeping his bangs out of his eyes and it's leaf symbol barely visible.

"Minato, what are you doing here? You're suppose to be getting married right now," she said, wrapping her arms around her stomach. He nodded and said, "Yeah, well I couldn't go through with it. Realized I didn't love her as much as I thought I did. Love someone else." The whole time he was talking, he was still pacing across her living room rug. He was twisting his hands together, as if he didn't know what to do with them.

"Minato, are you ok?"

"Yes…no…I don't know!" he responded, throwing his hands up in what might have been a shrug. "Why don't you tell me what happen? Start at why you're not at the wedding."

He sighed and nodded. "Well, after you left and Jiraiya and Tsunade followed you, we started again. Got to the 'I do's' and couldn't say it. Realized I couldn't go through with it, didn't love her. In love with someone else," he knew he was rambling and he didn't care. He had to tell her.

"Will you marry me?" he asked suddenly, out of the blue. She looked at him in shock.

"What the- Where did that come from?"

"I realized I love you. I want to be with you and before you say it's just cause you're pregnant, you're wrong. I've been in love with you since I was eleven years old, even if I didn't know it. So again I'll ask, will you marry me?" he said and asked in all seriousness. "I've finally realized my feelings for you for what they are, and it couldn't come at a more perfect time. You don't know how important you really are to me. I haven't been able to stop thinking about you for some time. I missed you terribly whenever you left on missions Kushina, your laugh, your smile, and the way you speak your mind and never care what anyone says or thinks. I want you to be with me, always. I love you, so please marry me!"

In stunned silence, Kushina looked at him openmouthed for a full minute before running at him, pulling him to her, and kissing him deeply. "You are an idiot. It took you this long to tell me?" she whispered, a smile crossing her face. He smiled down at her and they shared a sweet kiss.

**Time Skip: 3 Months Later **

He stared at his new wife and smiled. She truly was beautiful, her pregnancy made her even more so. He found it hard to believe that at one point several months ago he'd believed he loved Ai. This was the only woman he'd ever loved.

They'd just been married in a small ceremony in his office by Sarutobi, the only people in attendance Jiraiya, Tsunade, and his two remaining students. She'd worn a simple white kimono and left her hair down, although she'd put in a jeweled clip he'd given her to hold back her bangs. The kimono showed her pregnancy, and the radiance of her joy. He'd dressed in his Hokage's uniform. It had to be the happiest day of his life.

**Time Skip: 3 Months Later**

He looked down at the newborn child his wife held. His child. The scene of her holding his son, only hours old, was one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever witnessed.

The boy, Naruto, was his exact image minus a few differences. The small child already had a thin covering of blonde hair and when he'd opened his eyes earlier, they'd been his exactly.

Since the moment he first realized he'd fallen in love with Uzumaki Kushina, he'd wondered what the future would hold for them. That same day she'd returned his feelings and agreed to marry him, he had felt like he was invincible. When she allowed him to slip a ring on her finger, he couldn't help but imagine what their child would look like. He'd wondered, and now he knew.

The sweet little child in his wife's arms... He'd made the right choice when he'd chosen not to marry Uzumaki Ai. Now he had a wife and a son to show for it. A family. His family.

_

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_

Um… kinda stunk to be honest… but hey… Please review/flame.

_Minato and Kushina are one of my favorite pairings and I've been wanting to write a story for them for a while. I got this idea and decided to try writing it. I did, and it turned out to be my longest story yet. I hope you like it. Also, Kyuubi doesn't attack in this one although Kushina does in fact have Kyuubi sealed in her. Also, Uzumaki Ai is an OC I made up. Kushina doesn't really have a twin sister..._

_Thanks for reading!_

_Ja-ne!_

_~Nine-Orcids_


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